Loode oak forest

Loode oak forest can be seen from the towers of Kuressaare castle, and is a ten minute ride from Tori bridge. This is the only natural park on Saaremaa where oak trees are a majority. The average age of the oaks here is 150 years, some trees are up to 300 years old.

Young oaks here on Saaremaa grow and develop very well. When they reach maturity, they become stunted and many-branched. Their growth stops when their roots reach the layers of limestone that, because of the fairly thin layer of topsoil, are soon reached. So it has been with the oaks in Loode oak forest.

Since oak trees do not give much shade, they do not form a thick forest. This is favorable to understory trees. Trees that grow well with oaks are birch trees, aspen, ash and rowan.